Flowering now July 2007

[ranunculus]

My apologies!  After reviewing some of the images it seems that I have overdone the 'save at reduced quality' a little.....

[Maggi Young]

My apologies!  After reviewing some of the images it seems that I have overdone the 'save at reduced quality' a little.....

They're looking good on my screen, Cliff, never fear.

[Lesley Cox]

They look fine to me too, thanks Cliff. Maybe not alpine but wonderfully colourful and I can use some of that as our hard frosts continue. That no 2 in the third posting reminds me strongly of something I had 10 or 12 years ago as ? `Rustic Dwarfs.' They were big, sunflower-type flowers on shortish sturdy stems and all in amazing shades of coffee, cocoa, mahogany, anything brown you can imagine. I loved them dearly but where are they now?

Our overseas news is showing yet more dreadful flooding in parts of the UK. I do truly feel for you and hope things improve very soon.

[Brian Ellis]

Lesley,
Sadly the Rudbeckia hirta "Rustic Dwarf' series are half hardy annuals.  They are spectacular but that could explain why they have gone the way of all flesh!

[Brian Ellis]

A few flowers from the garden, thankfully we have not been subject to the floods that are still affecting other parts of the country.  How those poor people feel who have been flooded three times in as many weeks I cannot envisage.

Alstroemeria psittacina
Astrantia - one of many seedlings
Berkeya purpurea and close up
Bulbinella hookeri and close up
Bupleurum bronze form
Dicentra torulosa

[Brian Ellis]

I rather like Dierama so here are a few, the igneum is a short form which is particularly nice.
Dierama igneum
Dierama Blackbird
Dierama Lancelot
I think the flower form of this lathyrus is beautiful
Lathyrus belinensis
Leonotis leonurus flowering quite late for us this year
Linnaeus's marigold
Morina longifolia  the one that was bought as persica!!

[Brian Ellis]

lastly today
Scutellaria hubrechtii
Stylidium Little Sapphire - you can just see the triggers on the flower which give it it's common name
Zigadenus elegans, slowly clumping up

and two I was knocked over by at East Ruston Old Vicarage a couple of weeks ago
Puya alpestris an extraordinary coloured flower
and lastly is this a Watsonia?  It has bulbils up the stem, it wasn't labelled and the closest thing I could see in flower at the time was a Watsonia.

[Paddy Tobin]

Brian,

A great selection of photographs. Many thanks.

Like yourself, I like dieramas very much though they can become very weedy, especially when planted in gravel I find. Have you tried Silverhill Seeds for dierama and all other South African bulbs - great selection of wild collected seed available by mail order.

Your last photographs certainly looks like a watsonis cultivar, in a very nice salmon colour, very desirable. However, I have never noticed any bulbils on the stems of watsonias. I wonder if by any chance you were noticing the seed pods?

That lathyrus above is certainly a very special bloom, lovely veining on the petals. The Berkeya purpurea is another fabulous plant.

I really must get the camera out and take a few photographs. After being away for a while I have been in the garden dawn(well, early in the morning) till dusk and haven't taken the time for photography.

By the way, what camera are you using? The photograph from yesterday, a damselfly was it?, had great clarity and detail. Excellently shot.

Paddy

[Brian Ellis]

Thanks for your comments Paddy and I'll certainly investigate Silverhill seeds...I also am very fond of Eucomis!  As to the Watsonia   they were small bulblets (just like mini onions with a brown coat) at the junction of the stem and the leaf as I remember.  I thought it was about time I put something else on the site and I got the camera out to get the battery charged so diverted round the garden
Sorry not my photo of a damselfly and I wasn't too happy with the photos as the wind was not helpful - for example the Albuca shawii in the garden refused to stay still to be photographed!  The camera I do use is a Canon Ixus 700 no longer available as they are up to the Ixus 950.  It's a "press here dummy" camera but with the ability to manage the settings manually.  It's also a nice weight and comfortable to hold - two of the most important factors with a non SLR I think.  Comparing the photos with the Canon EOS SLR (other half) is embarassing but I just about hold my own!

[Paddy Tobin]

Many thanks, Brian.

Sorry about the mix-up re photograph of damsel fly - late at night now after a long day's slog in the garden. The people of Silverhills Seeds, can't recall the names at present, are coming to talk in Cork in September or October.

The Canon - well, I can dream!

Paddy

[Lesley Cox]

A great selection Brian as Paddy says. Yes, it IS a Watsonia and some species DO make bulbils on their stems. Beware of them as they spread widely and quickly. Maybe your winters would keep them in check. Those species (and I can't name them) are prohibited plants in NZ.

I found some of my `Rustic Dwarfs' lasted a second and even third year, depending, I suppose, on severity of the winter but yes, they were certainly short-lived. I had a bit of seed too but usually on the yellower forms rather than the best browns.

Is the pea perennial? The yellows are usually annual. 

[rob krejzl]

Lesley,

Didn't know that the prohibition extended to speech. Your quarantine is waaay stricter than ours.

[Lesley Cox]

One up to you Rob. I am UNABLE (not MAY NOT) to name them

[fermi de Sousa]

I'm sure that one of the Watsonias which dare not speak their names would be W. bulbifera
cheers
fermi

[Paul T]

Brian,

Fantastic photos!!!  Is that Bulbinella as orange as in the photo?  I'm only familiar with the yellow ones (B. nutans?) which I just adore here even if they do seed around a little too healthily at times, and the pale pink cauda-fellis (from memory) which I lost one year.  An orange one sounds delightful.  I must look up Puya too, as I love black flowers.  Rather interesting pic to put it mildly.  Great to see so many other things you're growing that I have here in my garden too..... many months from now!! <grin>  So strange to see you with your summer flowering stuff now while I have Galanthus and Eranthis flowering!!